Staff, students, and senior leaders from the College of West Anglia came together on Wednesday 22nd October for a special fundraising event, One College Walking, raising money and awareness for the charity PAPYRUS, which is dedicated to the Prevention of Young Suicide.
The 14.2 mile route connected three of the college’s five locations, uniting participants from across the college. Two teams set off in opposite directions, one from Downham Market and the other from the Sports Campus, based at Lynnsport. The teams walked to meet in the middle of the route before joining together and completing the route back to the Sports Campus.
The event brought together hundreds of students, staff, and members of the wider CWA community; Including Michael Paveley, High Sheriff of Norfolk, who lent his support by completing the route alongside the CWA staff and students. Tim Owen, co-founder of the Three Dads Walking, joined the college for the event, as a long-term supporter of the Papyrus charity. While Level Three Public and Protective Services Students volunteered as marshals, ensuring participants’ safety throughout the day. Many other students joined in sections of the walk, showing their support and helping to raise funds and awareness across all campuses.
Students from CWA’s Cambridge campus also took part in the event, completing their own fundraising walk around campus grounds. They were sent on their way and serenaded by bagpipes from Stephen Jones, who is currently Deputy Principal at Cambridge Regional College, (but in 2015 was CWA’s executive director, creating an inspiring and memorable send off as they stepped out in support
This initiative formed part of CWA’s ongoing collaboration with PAPYRUS and Three Dads Walking, aimed at increasing awareness of suicide prevention and ensuring students know how to access support and resources. Through a series of talks from Tim, tutorial sessions and discussions, the college has been promoting mental health awareness and encouraging open conversations about suicide among students and staff.
Tim Owen, one of the founders of Three Dads Walking said, ‘It has been an amazing day to see the CWA staff and students to come together to support suicide prevention. Suicide is the biggest killer of under 35-year-olds in the UK. Events like this just get people talking, and realising that there is help and support available, it will save lives.’
Principal, David Pomfret, said, ‘Today has been a fantastic day. The whole college community has come together for One College Walking. We’ve walked with Tim, one of the Three Dads Walking and supported PAPYRUS, a charity raising vital awareness surrounding youth suicide prevention. It was fabulous bringing staff and students together, over 600 people involved for such a fantastic cause. And we comfortably smashed our target!’
Lucas Cooper, Admissions and Business Support Manager, and one of the organisers of the event, said, ‘We walked from Downham Market and completed about 15 miles today, meeting staff and students along the way. Today has been one of the proudest moments, I’ve had since working here at the college.’
Scott Leadley, Head of Faculty and one of the organisers of the event, said, ‘The One College Walking event today has been a fantastic experience. Thank you so much to Tim Owen, PAPYRUS, and all the staff and students that have come out to join us today. It’s all been about raising awareness and raising funds. It’s been a wonderful day, getting the College community to be talking about how important a cause this is.’
The £2,828 that has been raised from the walk will go directly to PAPYRUS, helping the charity continue its crucial work in preventing young suicide through its helpline, training, and outreach programmes.
The College of West Anglia extends its thanks to everyone who took part, donated, and supported the event – continuing its commitment to promoting wellbeing, awareness, and hope across its campuses. The day symbolised connection, unity, and the shared goal of raising both awareness and funds for suicide prevention and mental health support.
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